The mesh nebuliser: a recent technical innovation for aerosol delivery

A nebuliser is a device that converts a liquid into aerosol droplets and must be loaded with the medication before each treatment. There are three types of nebulisers: jet nebulisers, which can nebulise all drugs and can be disposable; ultrasonic nebulisers, which are silent but can only nebulise aqueous solutions and may heat the drug; and mesh nebulisers, which can be used to nebulise aqueous solutions, but can be less efficient in nebulising suspensions. The latter are silent, portable and small. They can reduce the nebulisation time without reducing drug efficiency, but disinfecting and cleaning can be difficult.